Volume 1

An historical and descriptive account of China : its ancient and modern history, language, literature, religion, government, industry, manners, and social state ... / By Hugh Murray ... John Crawfurd ... Peter Gordon ... Captain Thomas Lynn; William Wallace ... and Gilbert Burnet. With a map and 36 engravings by Jackson.

Hugh Murray

Date:: 1843

Credit: An historical and descriptive account of China : its ancient and modern history, language, literature, religion, government, industry, manners, and social state ... / By Hugh Murray ... John Crawfurd ... Peter Gordon ... Captain Thomas Lynn; William Wallace ... and Gilbert Burnet. With a map and 36 engravings by Jackson. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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14/378 page 8

have been spared to illustrate subjects so interesting, and in general so imperfectly understood. There is added a succinct account of British intercourse from the earliest period to which the lights of history extend. In the third volume, after a condensed view of all that is known respecting the interior of the empire, its foreign commerce, particularly with our own country, is described. This subject, so extremely important at the present moment, is luminously dis- cussed by Mr Peter Gordon and Mr John Crawfurd, —the latter a gentleman who has established a well- merited reputation by his “ History of the Indian Archipelago,” and by his account of the embassies to the courts of Ava, Siam, and Cochin-China. In the discharge of his official duties on these occasions, as well as when Governor of Sincapore, he enjoyed ample opportunities of collecting information, which he has here employed with his characteristic activity and intelligence. It appeared of importance to introduce directions relative to the navigation to China, corresponding to those in our work on British India. This task has been ably performed by Captain Lynn,—an officer long employed by the Company in navigating their vessels, and afterwards as Examiner of their naval officers, and whose Nautical Tables and other works display a thorough acquaintance, not only with the scientific principles of his profession, but also with the intricate straits and channels to which he here supplies a guide. In composing the chapter for which we are indebted to him, he communicated with Cap- tain Horsburgh, who liberally allowed the use of his valuable collections.

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